Compressor air valve



Oct. 6, 1942. L. L. COLLINS 2,297,944

COMPRESSOR AIR VALVE Filed March 28, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Tlcrl. 17 ff2! r [k l v \7 Z3 Z4 "F'T"" 1% [5 2 I l CE 1 i i T lNVENTOR [58 new ACOLL/N5.

ATTORNEY Oct. 6, l942. 1.. COLLINS 2,297,944

COMPRESSOR AIR VALVE Filed March 28, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 34 34 .55 353/ INVENTOR ATTORNEY Oct. 6, 1942. co ms 2,297,944 v COMPRESSOR AIRVALVE Filed March 28, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 "F1 JB.

INVENTOR [ESTER A. COLL/N8.

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 6, 1942 COMPRESSOR AIR VALVE Lester L. Collins,Franklin, Pa., assignor to Chloago Pneumatic Tool Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 28, 1941, Serial No.385,632

13 Claims.

This invention relates to valve assemblies in which one or more ring orplate type valves control the passage of air or other fluid through theassembly by movement in response to pressure variations of a determineddegree on opposite sides of the assembly.

Valve assemblies of this kind are widely used in air compressors andlike machinesto control the admission and discharge of air to and from acompression chamber. They may be adapted to function as inlet ordischarge valves and are used in suflicient numbers to insure a flow ofair proportional to the capacity of the compression chamber. It isdesirable for efficient operation of the compressor that the ported orvalve lift area of each valve assembly be as great as possible and thatthe fiow of air through each assembly be substantially unrestrictedwhile the valves are open. It is contemplated by this invention toprovide a valve assembly improved in such respects as will permit theformation of a larger ported area in the assembly and facilitate theflow of air therethrough.

One object of the invention is to increase the capacity of 'a valveassembly by increasing the ported or valve lift area thereof.

Another object of the invention is to increase the valve lift area of acompressor valve assembly without increasing the diameter of the valveseat nor of the space in the wall of the compression chamber occupied bythe assembly.

In carrying out these objects a novel valve construction has beenobtained in which a plurality of valve seats are stacked in spacedparallel planes, each seat having a ported area adapted forcommunication with the compression chamber and controlled by anindividual pressure responsive valve ring.

Other objects and structural details of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is aview of a compressor cylinder embodying the valve mechanismof the invention,

section, taken substantially along the line 5--5 of Fi 2; v

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of an auxiliary valve seat comprised in theassembly of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 7 is a view in cross section of the auxiliary valve seat of Fig. 6,and is taken substantially along the line 1-1 thereof;

Fig. 8 is a detail view, in perspective, of a combination guide andbuffer plate embodied in the valve assembly of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a detail plan view of a valve spring embodied in the assemblyof the invention;

Figs. 10. and 11 are cross sectional views taken along the respectivelines Ill-l0 and ll-Il of Fig. 9; I

Fig. 12 is a view, in longitudinal section, of a valve assembly ofalternative construction;

Fig. 13 is a view, in cross section, of the valve assembly shown in Fig.12, and is taken substantially along the line l3-l 3 thereof; and

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the invention as embodiedin an inlet valve assembly.

The compressor cylinder of Fig. l is of the double acting type in whichan independent compression chamber is formed on each side of areciprocable piston I5. The flow of air to and from the compressionchambers, indicated at 0-1 and C2, is controlled by respective sets ofpressure responsive inlet and discharge valves located adjacent theopposite ends of the cylindicated generally at IS, the valve rests upona part of the cylinder being broken away to show a discharge valveassembly in longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 1, showing only thevalve assembly and the mounting therefor in the compressor cylinder;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the valve assembly of Figs. 1 and 2; I

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the valve assembly of Figs. 1 and 2;

ledge in the opening I6 and is further supported by three rods 20projecting from a closure plate 22 and secured against outward movementby the usual set screws 2|. The closure plate is removable to permiteasy access to the valve chamber l1.

Referring to Fig. 2, the valve I9 is comprised of an assembly of partsincluding body member 23 acting as a keeper, the upper end of which isformed with three spaced arms 23a (see also Fig. 3) each adapted toreceive a respective rod 20. The keeper 23 is centrally positionedwithin the valve assembly and has an inwardlyprojecting stem throughwhich a bolt 24 is passed.

Fig. 5 is a view of the valve assembly in cross The bolt 24 extendsthrough and beyond the stem of keeper 23 and has a threaded connectionwith a valve seat 25 to secure the keeper and valve seat in fixedrelative positions. The valve seat 25 has a circular shape (see Fig. 4)and is formed with separate annular openings or ported areas 26 and 21interrupted only by a series of ribs 28 extending inward to the midpointof the seat from spaced peripheral positions. The valve seat 25 lies forthe most part wholly within the opening l6 and the outer peripherythereof is cut away to form a shouldered portion engageable with thepreviously described ledge extending into the opening IS. The portedareas 26 and 21 thus communicate directly with the cylinder chamber C2,and, upon the compression stroke of the piston I5, air is dischargedfrom the chamber C2 through the ported areas of the valve seat. Thepassage of air through the opening or ported area 26 is'controlled by aring valve 29 which engages the outer surface of the valve seat 25 toclose the ported area 26 and is movable to open position by the force ofaccumulated pressure acting on the underside of the valve. The centralopening or ported area 21 is free of restrictions and air entering thisarea may pass through the valve seat and outward along the stem of thevalve keeper 23. The area surrounding the stem of keeper 23 is enclosedby an auxiliary valve seat 3| and a spacing ring 32 intermediate thevalve seats 25 and 3|. The auxiliary valve seat 3| encircles the keeper23 and is held in fluid-tight engagement with an annular flange 33formed on the keeper near the upper end thereof. The spacing ring 32 issmaller in diameter than the valve seats 25 and 3| and fits withinshallow recesses formed in the adjacent surfaces of the respectiveseats. The several circular elements 3|, 32 and 25 are thus held by thekeeper 23 in an assembled position in which the central openings of thetwo outer elements are axially aligned with the ported area 21 of theinner valve seat 25. There is thereby formed, in cooperation with thekeeper 23, an enclosure or chamber within the auxiliary valve seat andspacing ring, connected through the valve seat 25 to the compressionchamber C2.

Referring also to Figs. 6 and 7 it will be noted that the innerperiphery of the auxiliary valve seat 3| is formed with an annularchannel 34 having communicating branches or ports 34a and 34b openingrespectively through the outer and inner surfaces of the seat. In crosssection the channel 34 has a T-shape, the ports 34' and 34 being alignedat opposite ends of the cross of the T. A plurality of radially disposedribs 35 intersect the channel 34 and associated ports 34a and 34b andform in effect a series of ported areas through which air may bedischarged from the valve assembly. The inner surface of the channel 34is formed with curved deflecting surfaces in order that the air may flowto the oppositely disposed outlet ports in smoothly diverging currents.The ported areas 34a and 34b are controlled by respective ring valves 36and 31 similar in construction and mode of operation to the previouslydescribed valve 29. The relation of the valve seats 25 and 3|, and ofthe ported areas 26 and 34a --34b thereof, is such that the seatsymay bedescribed as inner and outer circular valve seats having aligned portedareas adjacent their respective peripheral edges.

Each of the ring valves 29, 36 and 31 has associated therewith achannel-shaped combination -ing studs 44 (Fig. 5).

38, 39 and 4|, and a ring-shaped spring 42 (see also Figs. 9-11) whichis bowed in the form of an arc and resists with a yielding pressure anyforce tending to flatten or straighten it. The several buffer plates arespaced slightly from their associated valves and a spring 42 isinterposed between each plate and its valve in such manner thatoppositely disposed points on the outer edge of the spring are engagedwith the valve, which is thereby urged to seated or closed position. Asshown in Fig. 9, the outer edge of each spring 42 is flattened at thosepoints which are engaged with the valve in order to increase the area ofcontact between the valve and spring. The several buffer plates are eachformed with projecting tongues or lugs 43 on their inner peripheries(see Fig. 8) which serve to guide the valve rings and are adapted to fitin individual grooves formed between valve seats 25 and 3| and spacer32, and between a ledge on the outer surface of seat 3| and keeper 23.The pair of adjacent bufi'er plates 38 and 4| are held in positionwithin the assembly by a plurality of intermediate spac- I'he studs 44are preferably connected to the plate 38 by riveting or other means. Theouter buffer plate 39 is held against movement by similar studs 45, oneof which is mounted within each of the radial arms 23a of the keeper 23.

On the compression stroke of the piston l5 through the chamber C2 air isdischarged simultaneously'through the ported areas 26, 34a and 34b, theseveral valve rings 29, 36 and 31 being forced off their respectiveseats when the air pressures mount to a height sufllcient to overcomethe springs 42. As the piston l5 reaches the end of the compressionstroke the pressure within the ported areas of the valve assembly dropsbelow the peak discharge pressure and the springs 42 are permitted toreturn their associated valves to closed position. As shown in Fig. 2the outer periphery of the spacing ring 32 is formed with annulargrooves which present curved deflecting surfaces to the air dischargedfrom the oppositely disposed ports 26 and 34b and prevent to a largeextent impingement of these air currents upon each other.

In Figs. 12 and 13 is shown a discharge valve assembly 40 of alternativeconstruction which guide and buffer plate, indicated respectively at 7differs from the assembly of Fig. 2 chiefly in the form of the spacingmeans provided between the inner and outer valve seats. The modifiedstructure includes a spacing ring 46 generally similar to the ring 32but having three vertical grooves 41 (see Fig. 13) formed at equidistantpoints in the outer periphery of the ring. Positioned within each groove41 is a block segment 48 which projects outward between the bufferplates of the respective valve seats. Conjointly the blocks 48 serve thesame purpose as the similarly positioned studs 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 14 illustrates the invention as embodied in a valve assemblyadapted to function as an inlet valve. This assembly maintains theprinciples of construction and operation disclosed inFigs. 2 and 12, butnecessarily diil'ers somewhat in the formation and arrangement of parts.The inletassembly has a valve seat 49 occupying the same relativeposition as the keeper 23 of the discharge assembly, and having a portedarea 5| through which air flows to the interior of the assembly. Theseat 49 has a central stem through which a bolt 52 is passed to connectthe valve seat to a circular plate 63 which acts as a keeper. The keeper53 is adapted to be positioned within an opening in the compressorcylinder and has a ported area 54 establishing communication between theinterior of the valve assembly and the compression chamber. Disposedbetween the keeper 53 and the outer head portion of the valve seat 49 isan auxiliary valve seat 55 held in an intermediate position by spacingrings 56 and arranged on the opposite sides thereof. The rings 56 and 51are of the same diameter as the valve seat 55 and enclose therespectiveported areas 58 and 59 of the valve seat. An annular channel BI isformed in the outer periphery of the auxiliary valve seat and admits airfrom the exterior of the assembly to the ported areas 58 and 59. Theseveral ported areas 5!, 58 and 59 are controlled by pressure responsivering valves in the same manner as the corresponding areas of thedischarge valve. The buffer plates associated with the valve rings areheld against movement in this instance, however, by sets of blocksegments 62 and 63 located in grooves within the inner peripheries ofthe respective spacing rings 55 and 51.

It will be evident that the valve assembly may.

be modified in respects other than those shown herein without departurefrom the spirit of the invention. For example, the assembly might beenlarged to comprise a greater number of valve seats than two. Such achange involves merely a duplication of elements and an extension of theprinciple of stacking the seats in longitudinal spaced relation.

What is claimed is:

1. A valve assembly, comprising a plurality of annular valve seatsstacked one upon another about substantially the same longitudinal axisand each having a ported area to permit the passage of air therethrough,means for holding said valve seats spaced from one another and insubstantial alignment, an annular plate valve reciprocable toward andfrom each of said valve seats for controlling the passage of air throughthe ported area thereof, a pair of said plate valves being disposed onthe adjacent sides of a pair of said valve seats, and means intermediatesaid pair of valves for limiting movement thereof from their respectivevalve seats. I

2. A valve assembly, comprising a plurality of valve seats, means forholding said valve seats spaced from one another and in substantialalignmentQplate valves reciprocable toward and from said valve seats, avalve guide associated with each of said valve seats, a pair of saidguides being disposed on the adjacent sides of a pair of said seats, andspacing blocks intermediate said pair of guides acting to prevent-displacement of said guides relative to said valve seats.

3. A valve assembly, comprising an annular first valve seat having aported area to permit the passage of air therethrough, an annular firstvalve cooperable with the ported area of said first valve seat tocontrol the flow of air therethrough, an annular second ported valveseat spaced from the said first seat and stacked thereupon aboutsubstantially the same longitudinal axis, an annular second valvecooperable with the ported area of said second valve seat, said firstand second valves being disposed on the adjacent or inner surfaces ofthe respective valve seats, and a stop element intermediate said firstand second valve for limiting the movement thereof away from theirrespective valve seats.

4. A valve assembly, comprising an annular valve seat having separateported areas on opposite sides thereof, recesses in the periphery ofsaid valve seat communicating with said ported areas, independentlyoperable valves reciprocable toward and from said valve seat to controlthe passage of fluid through said ported areas to and from saidrecesses, a guide plate for each of said valves, said guide platesacting also to limit movement of said valves away from the valve seat, amounting for each of said guide plates, and means for securing saidvalve seats and said guide mountings in fixed relative positions.

5. A valve assembly, comprising inner and outer annular valve seats, anannular spacing element between said valve seats, said spacing elementand said valve seats having registering openings forming a longitudinalchamber through the assembly, a valve keeper for holding said valveseats and said spacing element in assembled position, said keepercomprising a head portion engageable with the outer one of said valveseats to close one end of said longitudinal chamber, an annular channelformed in the inner periphery of said outer valve seat, aligned portedareas on opposite sides of said outer valve seat communicating throughsaid annular channel with the said longitudinal chamber, and valvescontrolling the ported areas of said valve seats.

6. A valve assembly, comprising inner and outer annular valve seats, anannular spacing element between said valve seats, said spacing elementand said valve seats having registering openings forming a longitudinalchamber through the assembly, a valve keeper for holding said valveseats and said spacing element in assembled position, said keepercomprising a head portion engageable with the outer one of said valveseats to close one end of said longitudinal chamber, ported areas ineach of said valve seats located ,at points outside the circumference ofsaid spacing element and extending longitudinally through said seats,means for providing communication between the ported area of the outerof said valve seats and said longitudinal chamber, and valvescontrolling the ported areas of said valve seats.

7. A valve assembly, comprising inner and outer circular valve seatshaving aligned ported areas adjacent their respective peripheral edges,a spacing ring disposed between said valve seats and lying inside thecircle represented by said aligned ported areas, a-valve ring for eachof said ported areas encircling said spacing ring and reciprocable toopen and closed positions relatively to its respective ported areabetween said valve seats, a guide for each of said valve rings, andcircumferentially spaced blocks mounted without said spacing ring forholding said guides in cooperative relation with their associated valverings.

8. A valve assembly, comprising first and secondspaced circular valveseats having axially aligned central openings, means for holding saidvalve seats in spaced relation including an intermediate spacing elementof less diameter than said valve seats, said element having a centralopening registering with the openings in said valve seats whereby alongitudinal chamber is formed within the assembly, separate portedareas in the said first valve seat opening through the opposite sidesthereof at points outside the circumference of said spacing element,means providing communication between said separate ring for each ofsaid ported areas and reciprocable to open and closed positionsrelatively to its respective ported area, a guide for each of said valverings, said guides being shaped in correspondence with said valve ringsand having tongues positioned in the recessed portion of a respectivevalve seat, and means for holding said guides in cooperative relationwith said valve rings, said means including spacing blocks interposedbetween an adjacent pair of said guides to prevent axial movementthereof and a ring member encircled by said guides and cooperable withsaid valve seats to prevent lateral movement of said guides.

10. A valve assembly, comprising inner and outer annular valve seatsstacked one upon another about substantially the same longitudinal axis,said seats having aligned central openings, a keeper holding said valveseats in assembled position and comprising a cover closing the centralopening in the outer of said valve seats and a stem extendinglongitudinally through said valve seats from said cover into cooperativerelation with the inner of said seats, ported areas extendinglongitudinally through each of said valve seats,,recesses in the innerperiphery of said outer valve seat communicating with the ported areathereof, and valves controlling the ported areas of said valve seats.

11. A valve assembly, comprising annular valve seats and annular spacingelements stacked alternately one upon another about substantially thesame longitudinal axis, said elements having aligned central openingsforming an internal chamber in the assembly, a body member extendingwithin said internal chamber and formed with an annular flangerestricting the passage of fluid from one end of said internal chamber,

ported areas in said valve seats extending longitudinally therethrough,peripheral recesses in an outer one of said valve seats communicatingthe ported areas thereof with said internal chamber, and valvescontrolling the ported areas of said valve seats.

12. A valve assembly, comprising a body member, a removable ring memberencircling said body member and supported thereby, a T-shaped conduit insaid ring member providing aligned valve ports at the ends of the crossof the T on opposite sides of said ring member, annular valves for theports, and removable annular members surrounding said body member andsupported on said ring member to provide guides for the valves.

13. A valve assembly according to claim 12, characterized by springsrecessed in said annular members normally to maintain the valves seatedon said ring members closing said valve ports.

LESTER L. COLLINS.

